Ray Russell's The Case Against Satan is a core founder of the possession thriller. It's counted up there in influence alongside greats such as William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist. Russell, however, offers in his novel a unique perspective of doubt. Maintaining a high level of doubt throughout the book, he almost urges readers to disbelieve the events. The true dramatic action of the novel is an absence of action. The Case Against Satan is particularly disturbing because the reader is inclined to find themselves rooting for exorcism because so many of the voices of the characters remain skeptical. As an outsider, the reader is called upon to refute the more conservative opinions with which they are being presented in favor of the more horrifying option of true demonic possession. This is in fact the main conflict of the story which protagonist Father Gregory Sargent is faced with resolving.
Basically, a local teen named Susan Garth starts acting bizarrely. She has fits of near insanity, refuses to return to church, swears continually, has seizures, becomes defiant, and begins to act sexually promiscuously and violently. All of these symptoms send her father knocking of the new priest's door. As the resident spiritual expert in the community, Father Gregory accepts the case and attempts to help Susan heal. His personal friend Bishop Crimmings happens to be visiting during this time, so he lends a hand but keeps a respectful distance from the case in order to all Gregory to prove himself in his new position of authority. By the end of it all Gregory has become convinced that Susan opened herself up to a little too much internal darkness and that she actually is not possessed. He never tells this family this, but he does help them to restore some peace and order in their lives, especially Susan, by ministering to them spiritually.
Russell is a skeptical author, whether intentionally for the sake of the narrative or because that's his true viewpoint. He allows his characters to work through the full spectrum of doubt and denial by presenting them with undeniable circumstances and even throws in a true believer in the form of Mr. Garth's suspicious friend. Coalescing by the end, each of Susan's incidents raise a new question regarding the legitimacy of her condition. All in all the people are just concerned for her well-being and that of the community because her fits have become the latest town gossip. Father Gregory is the individual with whom the audience is supposed to identify, and he preserves the rationality of the situation, concerning himself only with helping the girl. Ultimately readers are asked to form their own conclusions about this truly terrifying story.
